Full Article Text
NEW YORK POST, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1999
oJs1~1
By MICHAEL GILTZ
Talk show icon Mike
Douglas is almost
always right about
who will win the rat
ings battles -even if it
takes the rest of us a little
time to catch up.
When David Letterman
and Jay Leno squared ofT in
late night, 'The Post's Cindy
Adams caHed up Douglas
for his take on their talenta.
"I said at the time Leno's
going to win it because he
has wider appeal: says
Douglas, "And then for
about a year Letterman
ruled that spot. But now it's
aH turned around, and 1
don't know that it's ever
going to turn back for
David.
"I quite honestly watch
both of them, and 1 watch
David more than 1 do Jay."
he says. "I don't know why;
he fascinates me.
,MBut . you know' some-thing? When his producer ,
Bob Morton, left that show,
it went straight downhill .
I'm sure David knows about
this. He must think about'it
from time to time. But he's
never invited the man back.
1 think that had a lot. to do
with it. Producers are very
important people."
Douglas is in town to pro
mote "l'\l Be Right Back: a
chatty, breezy memoir
about his days hosting the
most popular talk show of
its day. Filled with an
astonishing number of
names from music, politics,
and Hollywood, it also fea
tures his sometimes caustic
comment s on the current
glut of talk shows.
It's no surprise the 73-
year-old admires Rosie
O'Donnell: She publicly
declared Douglas her idol,
openly modeled her ~how on
his and even wrote the
introduction to hi. book. "I
lo\'c R9_ie; I !o\'e wh,.l Mh~'~ MilE - -____ !!!!.I
DUIIIAS ~~ ~ _----1)
IISllHE
llEI _ ..... ___ =.1
doing," says Douj!las, w~o's
also seen musIcal' hlgh-:
lights from his show aired
on VHl and a boxed set of
episodes featuring John
Lennon and Yoko.Ono seH
ing in stores ..
Douglas believes Johnny
Carson is the gold standard
and that few people -and
certainly not the two men
duking it out in Carson's
old time slot -can mea
sure up.
"I'm sorry," says Douglas.
"I like both of those guy_; 1
hel ped both of those guys.
They didn't invite me on
with my book, but I'm not
saying this for that rea!!On.
I could care less. I don't
think the kind of people
that will be buying my book
are watching those shows HO.'S
He was the first syndicated
talk show hit, the first to make
$1 million a year, and the first
to fight off an upstart. Who
better to straighten out today's
crop of gab masters?
Douglas, with Muhammad All, pioneered theme shows broadcast
Ing from different cities, having weekly co-hosts and coming up
with \he most unusual mil of guests Imaginable (hello, 'Polltically
Incorrect"). .
anyway. reach Johnny." . Latifah, the hO!!t of Bravo's
"In the Actors' Studio' -
are peoplc not airing yet in
Palm Beach, Fla. where be
livl .... "But neither one of them His opinion. Oil c"l'ryonc
has even gotten close to else are just 8K firm. In fart,
where Johnny was. 1 think about the only people
you could put them both on Douglas doc"n't 1",\", an
tOl!ct.i¥'r, ~nd ~b~y w!,\Ild~'~ ,opinion QIl -lih QUl'Cn Casual refcren,ceK to t~~ I'
I J •• ~
ill ,"'.
~.M
I
trades and other industry
news quickly show the
avuncular Douglas is just
as much on top of the busi·
ness as he ever was.
"Oprah is unbelievable,"
says Douglas. "People say.
'Oh, they're paying her too
much money.' She's worth
every nickel; she wouldn't
be getting it if she weren't.
The shows that she is
doing!
"One of the first book club
shows. she had on the
author and all these lovely
ladies who'd read the book
and in some way it affected
their lives. I tell you, tha!"s
the best television rve ever
Bcen. This woman is a mar·
vel; she can handle any sit·
uation."
Perhaps Douglas can
appreciate her innovations
because he pioneered so • Conan
O'Brien
SIdekIck Andy
Richter Is".
tremendous
asset that
Conan's going
to be missing."
.Jay Leno
and David'
Letterman
"I think you
could put them
both on togeth
er and they
wouldn't reach
Johnny carson."
• Charlie
Rose
"You don't meet
many people
Pika Rose) who
listen when
they do an
interview."
• Sally
Jessy
Raphael
"Shouldn't she
be running a
real astale
office In a
IInIIi town
sornewfIere?" • Oprah
"People say,
'Oh, they're
paying her
too much
money.' She's
worth every
nlckal."
• Martin
Short
"What a tal
ent that
young man
Is. But that
doesn't
always
InInslate
Into doing a
talk show."
• Howard
Stem
"I'm an
Imut fan."
many himself: theme shows winces at the mere mention
(such as a week devoted to of his name. (He'. more of
the military), broadcasting an Imus fan.)
from different cities like sallY Jes.y Raphael?
Honolulu or London (a rat- Douglas writes that she
ings booster adapted by seems nice enough, but
everyone from early mom-wonders, "Why does thi.
ing news programs to late woman have a talk show?
night talk shows), having Shouldn't she be running a
weekly ro-hosts (a novelty real estate office in a small
that will payoff whenever town somewhere?"
someone finally imitates it) Of course, his positive
and coming up with the comments far outnumber
most unusual mix of guests the negative.
imaginable (hello, Douglas likes Donny and
"Politically Incorrect"). Marie, reapects Barbara
Other hosts may make Walters tremendously,
less than Oprah, but -believes Bob Costas is one of
according to Douglas -the best interviewers ever
they're the ones who are and knew Charlie Rose
overpaid. would always make it.
Jerry Springer? Douglas "He interviewed me years
hopes Springer will have an ago in Dallas. I knew then
on·air change of heart and he was going ~ b.e !'Orne·
finally dump his cynical act .. thing. You know, you don't
Howard Stern? Douglas meet many people who lis· ten when they do an inter·
view. That's the key. Listen."
Indeed, Douglas knows
better than anyone that
some of the most talented
people in the world won't
make good talk show hosts.
"Sid Ceasar was absolutely
brilliant. But he could not
walk in front of a camera
and say, 'Good evening and
welcome to Your Show of
Shows.' They had to have
somebody else do it."
While he hasn't seen
Martin Short's show (except
when he was a guest on it
. last week), Douglas thinks
that might be the same
story again.
"What a talent that young
man is," aays Douglas. "But
that doesn't always trans·
late into doing a talk show.
He's a great performer and
a funny, funny man.
"But rm told, according to
my sources the
Hollywood Reporter and
Daily Variety -that it's not
doing well ratings·wise." As he points out, if
there's just one miss·
ing factor -the right
producer, the right sidekick
- a show simply won't
work. When told Andy
Richter was leaving The
Conan O'Brien Show,
Douglas knew that wasn't
good news for a show he'd
enjoyed.
"Why is he leaving?" won·
ders Douglas. who rattles off
the names of great second
bananas like Tim Conway
and Jonathan Winters who
weren't meant to carry a
show by themselves. "That's
a tremendous asset that
Conan's going to be miss·
ing."
Television's been missing
Douglas for too long, as
well. Though happily
retired, Douglas admits he's
occasionally intrigued by
the possibility of getting
back in the game.
He's in no mood to reo
enter the grind of a daily
show, but a weekly cable
program or series of spe·
cials does offer temptation .
The c108est he came was
several years ago, when a
British talk show host aimi·
lar to Douglas struck gold
by returning to the air after
many years away.
"She'd play her tape.
interviewing Dudley Moore
and Peter Cook when they
were brash young guys and
then bring them on today to
talk to them again. They
w8nted to do the lame
thing here with me and I
got so excited.
"It got 8S far as meetings.
I don't see how it could have
missed. I had ideas .pring
ing out of my mind. I had so
and so on and they're .till
around. What would they
say today?
"It could have been 8
great way to pop "back' on
there: he sighs.
oJs1~1
By MICHAEL GILTZ
Talk show icon Mike
Douglas is almost
always right about
who will win the rat
ings battles -even if it
takes the rest of us a little
time to catch up.
When David Letterman
and Jay Leno squared ofT in
late night, 'The Post's Cindy
Adams caHed up Douglas
for his take on their talenta.
"I said at the time Leno's
going to win it because he
has wider appeal: says
Douglas, "And then for
about a year Letterman
ruled that spot. But now it's
aH turned around, and 1
don't know that it's ever
going to turn back for
David.
"I quite honestly watch
both of them, and 1 watch
David more than 1 do Jay."
he says. "I don't know why;
he fascinates me.
,MBut . you know' some-thing? When his producer ,
Bob Morton, left that show,
it went straight downhill .
I'm sure David knows about
this. He must think about'it
from time to time. But he's
never invited the man back.
1 think that had a lot. to do
with it. Producers are very
important people."
Douglas is in town to pro
mote "l'\l Be Right Back: a
chatty, breezy memoir
about his days hosting the
most popular talk show of
its day. Filled with an
astonishing number of
names from music, politics,
and Hollywood, it also fea
tures his sometimes caustic
comment s on the current
glut of talk shows.
It's no surprise the 73-
year-old admires Rosie
O'Donnell: She publicly
declared Douglas her idol,
openly modeled her ~how on
his and even wrote the
introduction to hi. book. "I
lo\'c R9_ie; I !o\'e wh,.l Mh~'~ MilE - -____ !!!!.I
DUIIIAS ~~ ~ _----1)
IISllHE
llEI _ ..... ___ =.1
doing," says Douj!las, w~o's
also seen musIcal' hlgh-:
lights from his show aired
on VHl and a boxed set of
episodes featuring John
Lennon and Yoko.Ono seH
ing in stores ..
Douglas believes Johnny
Carson is the gold standard
and that few people -and
certainly not the two men
duking it out in Carson's
old time slot -can mea
sure up.
"I'm sorry," says Douglas.
"I like both of those guy_; 1
hel ped both of those guys.
They didn't invite me on
with my book, but I'm not
saying this for that rea!!On.
I could care less. I don't
think the kind of people
that will be buying my book
are watching those shows HO.'S
He was the first syndicated
talk show hit, the first to make
$1 million a year, and the first
to fight off an upstart. Who
better to straighten out today's
crop of gab masters?
Douglas, with Muhammad All, pioneered theme shows broadcast
Ing from different cities, having weekly co-hosts and coming up
with \he most unusual mil of guests Imaginable (hello, 'Polltically
Incorrect"). .
anyway. reach Johnny." . Latifah, the hO!!t of Bravo's
"In the Actors' Studio' -
are peoplc not airing yet in
Palm Beach, Fla. where be
livl .... "But neither one of them His opinion. Oil c"l'ryonc
has even gotten close to else are just 8K firm. In fart,
where Johnny was. 1 think about the only people
you could put them both on Douglas doc"n't 1",\", an
tOl!ct.i¥'r, ~nd ~b~y w!,\Ild~'~ ,opinion QIl -lih QUl'Cn Casual refcren,ceK to t~~ I'
I J •• ~
ill ,"'.
~.M
I
trades and other industry
news quickly show the
avuncular Douglas is just
as much on top of the busi·
ness as he ever was.
"Oprah is unbelievable,"
says Douglas. "People say.
'Oh, they're paying her too
much money.' She's worth
every nickel; she wouldn't
be getting it if she weren't.
The shows that she is
doing!
"One of the first book club
shows. she had on the
author and all these lovely
ladies who'd read the book
and in some way it affected
their lives. I tell you, tha!"s
the best television rve ever
Bcen. This woman is a mar·
vel; she can handle any sit·
uation."
Perhaps Douglas can
appreciate her innovations
because he pioneered so • Conan
O'Brien
SIdekIck Andy
Richter Is".
tremendous
asset that
Conan's going
to be missing."
.Jay Leno
and David'
Letterman
"I think you
could put them
both on togeth
er and they
wouldn't reach
Johnny carson."
• Charlie
Rose
"You don't meet
many people
Pika Rose) who
listen when
they do an
interview."
• Sally
Jessy
Raphael
"Shouldn't she
be running a
real astale
office In a
IInIIi town
sornewfIere?" • Oprah
"People say,
'Oh, they're
paying her
too much
money.' She's
worth every
nlckal."
• Martin
Short
"What a tal
ent that
young man
Is. But that
doesn't
always
InInslate
Into doing a
talk show."
• Howard
Stem
"I'm an
Imut fan."
many himself: theme shows winces at the mere mention
(such as a week devoted to of his name. (He'. more of
the military), broadcasting an Imus fan.)
from different cities like sallY Jes.y Raphael?
Honolulu or London (a rat- Douglas writes that she
ings booster adapted by seems nice enough, but
everyone from early mom-wonders, "Why does thi.
ing news programs to late woman have a talk show?
night talk shows), having Shouldn't she be running a
weekly ro-hosts (a novelty real estate office in a small
that will payoff whenever town somewhere?"
someone finally imitates it) Of course, his positive
and coming up with the comments far outnumber
most unusual mix of guests the negative.
imaginable (hello, Douglas likes Donny and
"Politically Incorrect"). Marie, reapects Barbara
Other hosts may make Walters tremendously,
less than Oprah, but -believes Bob Costas is one of
according to Douglas -the best interviewers ever
they're the ones who are and knew Charlie Rose
overpaid. would always make it.
Jerry Springer? Douglas "He interviewed me years
hopes Springer will have an ago in Dallas. I knew then
on·air change of heart and he was going ~ b.e !'Orne·
finally dump his cynical act .. thing. You know, you don't
Howard Stern? Douglas meet many people who lis· ten when they do an inter·
view. That's the key. Listen."
Indeed, Douglas knows
better than anyone that
some of the most talented
people in the world won't
make good talk show hosts.
"Sid Ceasar was absolutely
brilliant. But he could not
walk in front of a camera
and say, 'Good evening and
welcome to Your Show of
Shows.' They had to have
somebody else do it."
While he hasn't seen
Martin Short's show (except
when he was a guest on it
. last week), Douglas thinks
that might be the same
story again.
"What a talent that young
man is," aays Douglas. "But
that doesn't always trans·
late into doing a talk show.
He's a great performer and
a funny, funny man.
"But rm told, according to
my sources the
Hollywood Reporter and
Daily Variety -that it's not
doing well ratings·wise." As he points out, if
there's just one miss·
ing factor -the right
producer, the right sidekick
- a show simply won't
work. When told Andy
Richter was leaving The
Conan O'Brien Show,
Douglas knew that wasn't
good news for a show he'd
enjoyed.
"Why is he leaving?" won·
ders Douglas. who rattles off
the names of great second
bananas like Tim Conway
and Jonathan Winters who
weren't meant to carry a
show by themselves. "That's
a tremendous asset that
Conan's going to be miss·
ing."
Television's been missing
Douglas for too long, as
well. Though happily
retired, Douglas admits he's
occasionally intrigued by
the possibility of getting
back in the game.
He's in no mood to reo
enter the grind of a daily
show, but a weekly cable
program or series of spe·
cials does offer temptation .
The c108est he came was
several years ago, when a
British talk show host aimi·
lar to Douglas struck gold
by returning to the air after
many years away.
"She'd play her tape.
interviewing Dudley Moore
and Peter Cook when they
were brash young guys and
then bring them on today to
talk to them again. They
w8nted to do the lame
thing here with me and I
got so excited.
"It got 8S far as meetings.
I don't see how it could have
missed. I had ideas .pring
ing out of my mind. I had so
and so on and they're .till
around. What would they
say today?
"It could have been 8
great way to pop "back' on
there: he sighs.